According to information published by the company Excalibur Army from the Czech Republic, Excalibur Army has demonstrated in Greece a new modernized version of its RM-70 122mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System with the goal to offer this new version to the Greek army.
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New modernized version of the RM-70 122mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System. (Picture source Excalibur Army)
In February 2017, during the Defense Exhibition IDEX in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Excalibur army has unveiled the RM-70 Vampir which is an upgraded of the previous version of the RM-70. The first prototype of the vehicle was manufactured in February 2015 and the first firing tests were held in October 2015.
The previous version of the RM-70 122m MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) is in service with the Greek army. During the demonstration, Excalibur Army has also conducted live firing tests with the modernized version of the RM-70. The members of the Greek Army were very satisfied with the new combat capabilities and firing performance of this modernized version of RM-70.
The new modernized version of the RM-70 is based on the new Tatra T-815-7 8x8 military truck chassis fitted with a an armored cabin providing ballistic protection against firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. The modernization of the MLRS will also include a new modern weapon control and aiming system, a fire control system with a ballistic computer, new inertial navigation with GPC systems, communication and data communication systems, and the ability to control the weapon system directly from the vehicle cabin or remotely.
With the new RM-70, the Excalibur army would like to offer the possibility to the Greek army to modernize its fleet of RM-70 according to customer requirements. After the modernization, the Greek army will continue to use standard 122mm rockets but with a vehicle that offers more mobility, firepower, and the capability to launch rockets at greater distances.
The modernized RM-70 keeps the standard RM-70 launcher rockets station which is similar to the Russian BM-21 Grad. The RM-70 is armed with a rack of 40 x 122mm rocket tubes fitted to a traversing/elevating platform mounted at the rear of a Tatra 8x8 truck chassis. One of the main features of the RM-70 compared to the BM-21, a magazine rack with 40 122mm rockets is housed at the back of the crew cab for quick reloading. Once all 40 122-mm rockets have been fired, the launcher barrels can be aligned with the magazine rack of a further 40 rockets that are then mechanically inserted into the empty barrels without human intervention.
The modernized RM-70 MLRS is able to fire all the standard 122mmm rockets as well as Czech rockets including HE-FRAG (High Explosive Fragmentation), incendiary, smoke, and illumination rockets.
